Apparatus for assembling electrical components

ABSTRACT

A rotatable turntable having a plurality of workholders spaced about the periphery thereof is indexed to advance each of the workholders successively through each of a plurality of work stations positioned adjacent the periphery of the turntable to assemble electrical components. A first part positioned in one of the workholders at a first work station has the leading end of an insulated wire extending from a supply of wire welded thereto at a second work station, after which the first part is indexed to a third work station without severing the wire extending from the first part to the supply. At the third work station a portion of the wire extending to the first part in the workholder is severed from the supply and the new leading end of the wire is attached to the first part in the next succeeding workholder. The first part is rotated in the first workholder while tensioning the wire extending from and secured to the first part to wind the wire thereon as the workholder is advanced with the turntable through a fourth and a fifth work station to a sixth work station. At the sixth work station a second part is assembled to the first part and, simultaneously, the insulation on a portion of the wire extending from the first part is stripped. At a seventh work station the trailing portion of the wire is welded to a metal cap which is secured to the second part and the strength of the weld is tested, whereafter the electrical component is advanced to a last work station and tested electrically and then sorted.

O United States Patent m1 3,706,122

La Valle [4 Dec. 19, 1972 [$4] APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING [57] ABSTRACT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS A rotatable turntable having a plurality of workhol- [72] Inventor: Thomas A. La Valle, Annapolis. Md. ders spaced about the periphery thereof is indexed to advance each of the workholders successively through [73] Assgnee' fix g g moreach of a plurality of work stations positioned adjacent the periphery of the turntable to assemble elec- [22] Filed: Aug. 13, 197i trical components. A first part positioned in one of the workholders at a first work station has the leading end [2]] App! of an insulated wire extending from a supply of wire Related m-m welded thereto at a second work station, after which the first part is indexed to a third work station without [62] Division of Ser. No. 878,0l7, Nov. 19, i969, Pat. No. severing he wire extending from h fi part to h 8304' supply. At the third work station a portion of the wire extending to the first part in the workholder is severed [52] "29/203 29/208 29,208 from the supply and the new leading end of the wire is 228/18 attached to the first part in the next succeeding work- [5 1] int. Cl .1101! 43/00, 823p 19/04 holder The first pan is tom-ted in the first workholdar [58] Field Surch 19/203 203 R, 203 205 while tensioning the wire extending from and secured 29/208 Ci 228/18 to the first part to wind the wire thereon as the workholder is advanced with the turntable through a fourth [56] (med and a fiflh work station to a sixth work station. At the UNITED STATES PATENTS sixth work station a second part is assembled to the first part and, simultaneously, the insulation on a por- 2,l00,502 11/ I937 Campbell et al. ..228/l8 tion of the wire extending from the first part is 3,2l4,832 l l/l965 Schwinghamer ....29l427 stripped. At a seventh work station the trailing portion 3,400,443 9/1963 Held cl 39/471 1 of the wire is welded to a metal cap which is secured gggg-igi 2x333 "23223 to the second part and the strength of the weld is Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Attorney-E. W. Somers tested, whereafter the electrical component is advanced to a last work station and tested electrically and then sorted.

4 Claims, 42 Drawing Figures PA'TENIED on: 19 m2 SHEET OlUF 19 ATTORNEV PATENIEDnEc 19 :972

SHEET O2 BF 19 PATENTED DEC 19 1912 sum on HF 19 PATENTED I9 I97? 3. 706, 1 22 SWEET CHUF 19 PATENTED DEC 19 1972 SHEET 10 0F 19 wwl N @m QN p PATENTED DEC 19 m2 SHEET 11 0F 19 PATENTED nu: 19 m2 sum 12 0F 19 PATENTED DEC 19 1922 mom 

1. An apparatus for automatically assembling successive ones of a plurAlity of first parts with successive ones of a plurality of second parts and for securing an insulated wire between the first and second parts of each of the assemblies of the first and second parts, which comprises: an indexable turntable having a plurality of workholders spaced about the periphery thereof, said workholders having facilities holding the first parts; a first feeding device for advancing successive ones of a group of the first parts to successive ones of the workholders; means for supplying insulated wire; a wire feeding device for advancing successive sections of the insulated wire from the supply thereof into engagement with successive ones of the first parts in successive workholders; means for stripping insulation from successive portions of the wire which are moved into engagement with the successive ones of the first parts in the successive workholders; means for bonding the successive bared portions of the wire to the first parts; means for feeding successive ones of a group of the second parts from a supply thereof into securing engagement with successive ones of the first parts in successive ones of the workholders; means for severing successive lengths of the wire extending from the supply thereof and bonded to successive ones of the first parts in successives one of the workholders and bonded to successive preceding ones of the first parts in preceding ones of the workholders, the severing taking place in the portion of the wire extending between the bonds of the portion of the wire to the first parts adjacent to the subsequent one of the two associated first parts; means for tensioning successive portions of successive lengths of wire extending from successive ones of said preceding first parts subsequent to the severing operation; means for rotating successive ones of said preceding first parts while the successive associated lengths of wire bonded thereto are held taut in order to wind the wire on the successive preceding first parts; means for stripping a portion of the insulation from each successive section of the wire secured to and extending from each successive ones of the preceding first parts; means for bonding successive stripped portions of the successive lengths of the wire extending from the successive preceding first parts to successive associated ones of the second parts; means including a pivotally mounted pawl for testing the strength of the bond of the wire to each of the successive second parts; means for mounting the pawl for transverse and longitudinal movement to engage successive portions of wire extending between the successive second parts and the tensioning means; the means for bonding successive portions of the length of wire to the successive second parts establishing a magnetic field which causes the pawl on said testing device to pivot into an extended position extending transversely of the longitudinal path of travel of the testing means; means for causing the testing means to move longitudinally transversely of the successive portions of the wire welded to the successive second parts so that the extended pawl will be caused to engage the successive sections of wire extending between the associated bonds of the wire to the associated second parts and tensioning means to exert a pulling force thereto to test the welds and break the successive portions of the wire attached thereto; means for withdrawing successive ones of the assemblies of the first and second parts from the workholders; means for determining an electrical test characteristic of successive ones of the withdrawn assemblies of first and second parts, and means for assorting successive ones of the tested assemblies in accordance with the test characteristic.
 2. An apparatus having a plurality of work stations for assembling successive ones of a plurality of first parts with successive ones of a plurality of second parts and for bonding an insulated wire betWeen the first and the second parts of each of the assemblies of the first and second parts, all automatically, which comprises: a plurality of rotatable means, each having an initial oriented position to facilitate the rotation thereof for holding successive ones of the first parts; means positioned at a first work station for feeding successive ones of the first parts to the rotatable means; a supply of wire; means positioned at a second one of the work stations for removing the insulation from a portion of the wire and for advancing the wire to move the portion thereof into juxtaposition with successive ones of the first parts in the rotatable means with the wire extending to the supply thereof; means positioned at the second one of the work stations for holding successive portions of the wire in engagement with the successive ones of the first parts and for bonding the successive portions of the wire to successive ones of the first parts; means for orienting successive rotatable means into initial oriented positions; means positioned at a third one of the work stations for severing successive lengths of the wire extending from the supply thereof with successive leading ends of the successive lengths of wire bonded to the leading one of the first parts and with the wire extending to the supply thereof and the successive new leading ends bonded to the successive succeeding ones of the first parts; means for tensioning the length of wire extending from the successive succeeding leading ones of the first parts and for distributing successive sections of the length of wire on the first part as the first part is moved rotatably with the rotatable holding means; means responsive to the advancement of the rotatable means for rotating the holding means to wind the wire on the first part; means rendered effective subsequent to the winding of the successive lengths of the wire on the first successive succeeding ones of the first parts for removing the insulation from other portions of the successive lengths of wire between the first part and the tensioning means; means positioned at a fourth one of the work stations for assembling successive ones of the second parts to successive ones of the first parts; means for moving the tensioning means to engage successive other portions of the wire with successive ones of the second parts; means positioned at a fifth one of the work stations and mounted to move along a longitudinal path of travel transverse of the length of wire extending from the first part for bonding a first side of the successive other portions of the wire to successive ones of the second parts; means mounted pivotally on the bonding means and retracted when engaged by the wire as the bonding means is moved in a first direction to bond the wire to the second part and the pivotally mounted means is moved to the opposite side of the wire and above the second part and subsequently moved pivotally transverse of the path of travel of the bonding means for engaging the wire and exerting a pulling force thereon to test the strength of the bond; means for supplying bonding energy to the bonding means and for causing the engaging means to move pivotally transverse of successive succeeding lengths of wire extending from successive ones of the second parts to the tensioning means; means for retracting the bonding and engaging means to cause the engaging means to strike the successive lengths of wire to test the bond and to break the wire at the bond thereof of successive ones of the second parts; means positioned at a sixth one of the work stations rendered effective subsequent to the breaking of the wire at the bond for removing successive succeeding ones of the assemblies from the holding means and for determining an electrical test characteristic thereof to facilitate sorting of the electrical component; conveying means supporting the holding means for advancing each of the holding means successivEly through each of the work stations; means responsive to the performance of work by the means at each of the work stations for indexing the conveying means to advance each of the holding means into the next successive work station, and means responsive to predetermined positioning of the various elements of the apparatus for causing automatic operation thereof.
 3. An apparatus having a plurality of work stations for assembling automatically successive ones of a plurality of first parts into successive ones of a plurality of second parts and for bonding an insulated wire between the first and the second parts of each of the assemblies of the first and second parts, which comprises: a plurality of work stations; a plurality of means for holding successive ones of the first parts; means positioned at a first one of the work stations for feeding successive ones of the first parts to successive ones of the holding means; a supply of wire; means positioned at a second one of the work stations for removing the insulation from spaced portions of the wire extending to the supply thereof and for advancing the wire to move successive ones of the spaced portions into juxtaposition transversely with successive ones of the first parts in successive ones of the rotatable means; first bonding means positioned at the second one of the work stations for holding successive sections of the wire from which the insulation has been removed into engagement with the successive ones of the first parts and for bonding the successive portions of the wire to successive ones of the first parts against which they are held which includes an electrode having a concave arcuate surface adapted to partially circumscribe the first part and having spaced slots extending through the concave arcuate surface to receive the portions of wire positioned in juxtaposition with successive ones of the first parts to position the wire on the first part and to confine the wire between the associated first part and the concave arcuate surface; means positioned at a third one of the work stations for swaging successive ones of the first parts and for breaking successive lengths of the wire extending from the supply thereof past and bonded to successive associated first parts and extending from said successive associated first parts to and bonded to successive associated preceding ones of the first parts, the breaking of each length of wire occurring between the associated first parts immediately adjacent to the subsequent one thereof; means rendered effective when the bond of the wire to associated first parts is defective for severing the wire extending from the supply thereof past and bonded to successive associated first parts and extending from said successive associated first parts to and bonded to a preceding one of the first parts, the severing occurring between the associated first parts and adjacent to the subsequent one thereof; means for tensioning the length of wire extending from the successive preceding ones of the first parts; means positioned at a fourth work station for removing insulation from successive portions of the successive severed lengths of wire extending between the first part and the tensioning means and for assembling successive ones of the second parts to successive ones of the first parts; means for moving the tensioning means to a position substantially axially of the successive first parts to cause the wire extending between the successive associated first parts and the tensioning means into juxtaposition with the successive associated second parts; second bonding means positioned at a fifth one of the work stations and mounted to move along a longitudinal path of travel transversely of the length of wire extending from the first part to the tensioning means for bonding the portion of the successive associated sections of the wire from which the insulation has been removed to successive associated ones of the secoNd parts; retractable engaging means mounted pivotally on the second bonding means movable transversely of and caused to engage the wire extending from the tensioning means to the successive associated first parts and caused to be retracted from an extended position when engaged by the successive portions of wire extending between the tensioning means and the successive associated first parts as the bonding means is moved in a first direction and extended to bond the successive associated sections of the wire to the successive associated second parts as the pivotally mounted means is moved in a longitudinal path of travel to the opposite side of the successive associated sections of wire extending from the successive associated second parts to the tensioning means and subsequently moved pivotally transverse of the longitudinal path of travel thereof into an extended position for engaging the wire when the bonding means is retracted; means for supplying bonding energy to the bonding means and for causing the engaging means to move pivotally transverse of the successive lengths of wire extending from the successive associated second parts to the tensioning means; means for retracting the bonding means and the engaging means to cause the extended engaging means to strike the wire to test the successive bonds and to break the wire at the successive associated bonds thereof to the successive associated second parts; means responsive to the completion of the various operations at the work stations for indexing each of the holding means to the next succeeding work station, and means responsive to predetermined positioning of the various elements of apparatus for causing automatic operation thereof.
 4. An apparatus for attaching an insulated wire from a supply thereof to successive ones of a plurality of first parts and for winding the wire on the successive ones of the first parts, which comprises: means for holding the first parts; means secured to said holding means for turning said holding means; means for supplying the wire; means for removing the insulation from a leading and successive spaced portions of the wire extending from the supply thereof; means for advancing the bared leading portion of the wire into engagement with the first part and successive spaced portions thereof with successives ones of the first parts with the wire extending to the wire supply means; means for bonding the bared leading portion of the wire to the first part and for bonding a next successive bared portion to a next successive first part; means for severing successive lengths of the wire with the leading portion bonded to the first part and with new leading portions thereof bonded to successive succeeding ones of the first parts; means mounted on the holding means for tensioning the lengths of wire; imparting means for engaging the turning means and imparting rotary motion to the turning means to rotate the holding means; orienting means engaging the turning means for orienting the turning means to facilitate engagement thereof with the imparting means, and means for advancing the turning means into engagement with the imparting means and for advancing further the turning means along the imparting means to rotate the holding means to wind the successive lengths of the wire on the associated successive ones of the first parts held therein. 